Adjustable reclining chair



Dec.. 2, 1959 F. F. scHLlr-:PHACKE 2,918,109

ADJUSTABLE RECLINING CHAIR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 16, 1956 IN VEN TOR.

FR/D rJoF F." scHL/EPHACKE ATTORNEY Filed Aug. 16, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet `2 E K .C m Y RA lv ww MM w me Wo VL 0&0. T ma T s M A F. M .m JH f I D l V. m B h In. tlv -M /m.

Ziiii@ Patented Dec. 22, i959 ADJUSTABLE CLG CHAIR Application August 16, 1956, Serial No. 604,369

14 Claims. (Cl. 155-106) The present invention relates to reclining chairs, and in particular to an improved reclining chair in which the back-rest, seat and leg-rest are coordinated with each other such that the reclining movement includes at least two distinct movement phases.

The well known reclining chair comprises a support, a body-supporting unit including a back-rest and seat mounted on the support for reclining and inclining movement respectively, a leg-rest mounted beneath the forward end of the seat, and appropriate linkage means coordinating the back-rest, seat and leg-rest such that the seat is inclined and the leg-rest is elevated in response to reclining movement of the back-rest. In some instances it is to advantage to construct the reclining chair with a rigid seat and back-rest such that there is no angular displacement between the seat and back-rest as the body-supporting unit is tilted rearwardly. When the chair occupant wishes to completely and fully relaX, the first type of chair is usually employed in that the back-rest is angularly displaced rearwardly relative to the seat, thereby providing a comfortable support for the chair occupant in an almost fully reclined position. When the chair occupant desires to assume a sitting position, but somewhat tilted back with his or her legs supported on the leg-rest, the latter type of chair is employed in that there is no displacement between the back-rest and seat as a function of the rearward reclining movenient of the body-supporting unit. For reasons of economy, it is often necessary for the consumer to make a Choice between these two chair types, depending upon which type will be found to be more suited to the particular consumers general needs.

lt is an object of the present invention to provide an improvement reclining chair which is constructed to have a rst movement phase from a sitting position to an intermediate tilted sitting position during which there is substantially no relative angular displacement between the back-rest and seat and a second movement phase from the intermediate tilted sitting position to a reclined position during which the back-rest is angularly displaced relative to the seat. This type of reclining chair, which I refer to as a double movement chair, has the functional attributes of the rst type of reclining chair (used primarily for complete relaxation in that the occupant can be accommodated in a virtually reclined position) and also of the second type of chair (used for television viewing, reading, etc., in which the chair occupant is tilted back with an adequate leg-rest support).

in accordance with an illustrative embodiment demonstrating features and advantages of the present invention, a reclining chair is provided which comprises a support, a body-supporting unit including a back-rest and seat adapted to be mounted on the support for reclining and inclining movement respectively, and means movably mounting the body-supporting unit on the support for a rst movement phase from a sitting position to an intermediate tilted position during which there is substantially no relative angular displacement between the back-rest and the seat and for a second movement phase from the tilted positio-n to a reclining position during which the back-rest is angularly displaced relative to the seat. The mounting means includes a four-bar linkage having three movable links and a stationary link, with one of the movable links having two link parts interconnected for movement relative to each other and having operative connections to the seat and support. Means are provided for constraining one of the link parts during the first movement phase whereby the other of the link parts serves as the one movable link of the four-bar linkage and further means are provided for coupling the link parts together during the second movement phase whereby both of the link parts serve as the one movable link. By appropriately proportioning the components of the four-bar linkage, the chair occupant can be accommodated in a substantial sitting position through the first movement phase, during which no relative displacement occurs between the back-rest and seat, and thereafter accommodated in various reclining positions through the second movement phase during which the back-rest is angnlarly displaced relative to the seat until the fully reclined position is reached.

As a further feature of the invention, a leg-rest is provided with an appropriate leg-rest Control operatively connected to the four-bar linkage whereby the leg-rest is elevated into a leg-supporting position extending forwardly of the seat in response to movement of the bodysupporting unit through the first movement phase from the sitting position to the intermediate tilted position.

The above brief description, as well as further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated upon reference to the following detailed description of a presently preferred, b-ut illustrative, embodiment demonstrating features of the invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevational View, with parts broken away and sectioned, showing a reclining chair embodying features of the present invention, with the chair in the upright sitting position;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view, similar to Fig. 1, but showing the reclining chair in the intermediate tilted position, wherein there is substantially no relative angular' displacement between the back-rest and seat as compared to the upright sitting position, with the leg-rest elevated to a leg-supporting position in front of the seat;

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2, but showing the reclining chair in the fully reclined position wherein the back-rest is angularly displaced relative to the seat;

Fig. 4 is a plan View taken substantially along the lines 4 4 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows, the details of the chair linkage being shown by the full lines and the chair proper being sho-wn by the broken lines;

Fig. 5 is an elevational view taken substantially along the line 5 5 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows, the chair linkage being shown by the full lines and the chair proper being shown by the broken lines; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view, with parts sectioned, showing a part of the Chair linkage.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, there is shown a reclining chair demonstrating features of the present invention, which includes a frame or support 30, a body-supporting unit including a back-rest 40, and a seat 44 mounted on the support 30 for reclining and inclining movement respectively, and a leg-rest 82 disposed beneath the forward end of the seat 44 and mounted for movement into an elevated leg-supporting position in response to reclining movement of the chair.

The frame or support 30 includes opposed side members 32 having depending rear legs 34, front legs 36, and arm rests 38. The side members 32 are joined together by appropriate cross-pieces, including the cross member or brace 66. The back-rest 40 is pivotally mounted adjacent its lower end on the support 30 at the pivot 42, while the seat 44 is mounted on the back-rest 40 for inclining movement relative thereto at a point spaced above the pivot 42 by means of the rearwardly directed arms 46 which are fixed to the seat and have pivots 48 to the back-rest 40.

In accordance with the present invention, the bodysupporting unit 40, 44 is mounted on the support 30 for double movement by similar four-bar linkages at opposite sides of the chair each of which includes the seat 44 as a first movable link thereof, the portion of the back-rest 40 between the pivots 42, 48 as a second movable link thereof, and a third two-part movable link including the link parts or elements 52, 56 which are interconnected for movement relative to each other. The two-part movable link 52, 56 includes the link part S2 which has an upward and forward inclination from the lower and rearmost end thereof to the upper and foremost end thereof. The front end of the link part 52 is pivotally connected to the seat 44 at the pivot 50 while the rear end of the link 52 is pivotally connected to the link part 56, which is illustrated herein as a generally triangular plate, at the pivot 54. The link part 56 has a pivot 58 to the support or frame 30. It will thus be appreciated that the movable link 52, 56 has a pivotal connection 50 at one of its ends to the seat, and a pivotal connection 58 at the other of its ends to the support, with one of its link parts being measured between the pivots 50, 54 and the other of its link parts bein'x measured between the pivots 54. 58.

The link part 56 is oriented in the position illustrated in Figure 1 which corresponds to the sitting position of the chair by provision of a stop 59 fixed to the support 30 in position to abut the integral nose-like extension 57 at the lowerrnost end of the link part 56. The extension or abutment 57 and the stop 59 precludes counterclockwise displacement of the link part 56 about the pivot 58 on the supportV 30. The link part 56 is constrained in the position illustrated in Fig. l by a coil spring 62 or similar biasing means which is anchored at its upper end 60 to the extension 57 of the link part 56 and at its lower end 64 to the bracket 65 mounted on the cross-piece 66. Orientation of the link part or plate 56 by the constraining and biasing means further serves to orient the link part 52 which is pivotally connected thereto and to the seat 44.

Provision is made for coupling together the link parts 52, 56, when the body-supporting unit is moved from the sitting yposition illustrated in l into the intermediate tilted sitting position of Fig. 2. This movement corresponds to the first movement phase of my reclining chair. In the illustrative embodiment of the invention, the coupling of the link parts 52, 56 is achieved by a stop 58a which is in the form of an inwardly directed extension of the pivot 58, positioned to cross the path of the rearward extension or abutment 53 integral with the link part 52. As may be appreciated by referring to Figs. 2 and 5, the stop 58a which is 'iixed to the support 30 abuts the rearward extension 53 on the link part 52 when the chair is brought to the intermediate tilted sitting position of Fig. 2. As may be appreciated by progressively inspecting Figs. 2 and 3, the stop 58a thereafter serves to couple the link parts 52, 56 together such that there is no relative displacement between the link parts 52, 56 during the movement of the reclining chair from the intermediate tilted sitting position of Fig. 2 through the second movement phase into the fully reclined position of Fig. 3.

The limit of the reclining movement of the chair is established by a stop 59a which is fixed to the support 30 in positionkto abut the link part or plate 56 after a prescribed pivotal movement of said link part about its 4 pivot 58. By varying the position of the stop 59a it is possible to adjust the rearward limit of the reclining movement.

During the first movement phase between the sitting position of Fig. 1 and the intermediate tilted position of Fig. 2 the four-bar linkage which movably mounts the body-supporting unit 40, 44 on the support 30 includes the portion of the seat between the pivot 48, 50 as one movable link thereof, the portion of the back-rest between the pivots 42, 48 as the second link thereof, the portion of the link part 52 between the pivots 50, 54 as the third movable link thereof, and the portion of the support between the pivot 42 and the pivot 54 as the stationary link thereof. With respect to the designation of the stationary link of this four-bar linkage, it is to be noted that the link part or plate 56 is stationary during the first movement phase and for all intents and purposes the link part 56 may be considered to be part of the frame although it is mounted on the pivot 58 for pivotal movement during the second phase of the reclining movement.

During the second movement phase between the intermediate tilted sitting position of Fig. 2 and the reclining position of Fig. 3, the portion of the seat 44 intermediate the pivot 48, 50 serves as the first movable link, the portion of the back-rest between the pivots 42, 48 serves as the second movable link, the link parts 52, 56 serve as the third movable link (with the effective link length measured between the pivots 50, 58) and the portion of the support between the pivots 58, 42 serves as the stationary link.

The leg-rest 82 is mounted beneath the forward end of the seat for movement from the stored position illus- 1 trated in Fig. 1 to the elevated position illustrated in Fig. 2 by a leg-rest control linkage which is coordinated tothe movement of the seat and back-rest during the first movement phase. Specifically, a depending hanger 74 is pivoted to the forward portion of the seat at the pivot 76. The vhanger 74 "s coupled to the link part S6 by a connecting link 70 which has a pivot 72 at its forward end close to and spaced below the pivot 76 of the hanger 74 on the seat 44 and has a pivot 68 at its rear end to the upper end of the link part or plate 56. The hanger arm 74 is coupled to the leg-rest 82 at a point spaced below its upper end by a controlling link 80 which has a` pivotal connection 78 at its rear end to the lower end of the hanger arm 74 and has a pivotal connecton 84 at its forward end to the leg-rest 82. The leg-rest control linkage is completed by a further depending supporting link 88 which has a pivotal connection 86 at its upper end to the connecting link 70 at a point rearward of the forward end thereof and has a pivotal connection 90 at its lower end to the rear end of a further controlling link 92. The controlling link 2 in turn has a pivotal connection 94 to the hanger arm 74 at the point where the controlling link crosses over the hanger arm 74 and has a pivotal connection 96 at its forward end to the upper end of the leg-rest 32.

In order to facilitate a more thorough understanding of the invention a typical sequence of operations of my double movement chair will now be described in detail:

When the chair occupant is seated and leans back, the back-rest 40 begins to translate through a rearward and downward arc about the pivot 42. This causes the seat 44 to begin to translate rearwardly which in turn imparts a force to the link part 52 which tends to rock the linkupwardly and rearwardly relative to the pivot 54. As previously explained, the parts of the four-bar linkage which are effective in the first movement phase are proportioned such that there is lttle or no relative angular displacement between the seat 44 and the backrest 4t). When the intermediate tilted sitting position of Fig. 2 is reached, the link S2 is blocked against further clockwise translation about the pivot 54 on the link part 56 and for all intents and purposes the link parts 52, 56 .become unitary. Thereupon, when the occupant bears further against the back-rest in an amount suicient to overcome the constraining effect of the spring 62, the link 52, 56 pivots in the clockwise direction about the pivot 58 on the support. During this second motion phase, the linkage is proportioned and arranged to cause an angular displacement of the back-rest relative to the seat, as may be seen by progressively inspecting Figs. 2 and 3. When the link 56 is translated in the clockwise direction into the limit position of Fig. 3, further movement is precluded due to the contact between the link 56 and the stop or abutment 59a.

During the reclining movement between the sitting position of Fig. l and the intermediate tilted sitting position of Fig. 2, the leg-rest control linkage is operated to raise the leg-rest to the elevated leg-supporting position forwardly of the seat. During said first movement phase, the pivot 76 translates rearwardly relative to the pivot 72 in that the connecting link 70 is connected to the stationary link 56. As the pivot 76 translates rearwardly with respect to the pivot 72, the suspended leg-rest control linkage causes the leg-rest to move into an elevated position. With the leg-rest in the elevated position of Fig. 2, the leg-rest and seat 44 move as a unit from the tilted intermediate position of Fig. 2 into the reclined position of Fig. 3.

It will be appreciated that the chair can be brought into any intermediate position during the first and second movement phases, by the occupant either bearing against the back-rest or urging his or her weight against the leg-rest. The extent of movement in either the first or second motion phases and the relative coordination between the back-rest, seat and leg-rest will of course depend upon the proportioning of the coordinating linkages.

A latitude of modification, substitution and change is intended in the foregoing disclosure, and in some instances, some features of the invention will be used without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention herein.

I claim:

l. A reclining chair comprising a support, a bodysupporting unit including a back-rest and seat adapted to be mounted on said support for reclining and inclining movement respectively, and means movably mounting body-supporting unit on said support for a first movement phase from a sitting position to an intermediate tilted position during which there is substantially no relative angular displacement between said back-rest and seat and for a second movement phase from said tilted position to a reclining position during which said back-rest is angularly displaced relative to said seat, the mounting means including7 a four-bar linkage having three movable links and a stationary link, one of said movable links having two link parts interconnected for movement relative to each other and having operative connections to said seat and support, means for constraining one of said link parts during said first movement phase whereby the other of said link parts serves as said one movable link, and means for coupling said link parts together during said second movement phase whereby both of said link parts serve as said one movable link.

2. A reclining chair according to claim l including a leg-rest contro-l operatively connected to said leg-rest and to said mounting means for elevating said leg-rest in response to said first movement phase.

3. A reclining chair comprising a support, a body-supporting unit including a back-rest and seat adapted to be mounted on said support for reclining and inclining movement respectively, and means movably mounting bodysupporting unit on said support for a first movement phase from a sitting position to an intermediate tilted position during which there is substantially no relative angular displacement between said back-rest and seat and for a second movement phase from said tilted position to a reclining position during which said back-rest is angularly displaced relative to said seat, the mounting means including a four-bar linkage operatively connected to said support and to said body-supporting unit and having three movable links and one stationary link, one of said movable links having two link parts interconnected for movement relative to each other, means pivotally connecting one end of said one movable link to said seat and the other end thereof to said support, means for constraining one of said link parts during said first movement phase whereby the effective length of said one movable link is established by the other of said link parts, and means for coupling said link parts together during said second movement phase whereby the effective length of said one movable link is established by both of said link parts.

4. A reclining chair comprising a support, a body-supporting unit including a back-rest and seat adapted to be mounted on said support for reclining and inclining movement respectively, and means movably mounting bodysupporting unit on said support for a first movement phase from a sitting position to an intermediate tilted sitting position during which there is substantially no relative angular displacement between said back-rest and seat and for a second movement phase from said intermediate tilted sitting position to a reclining position during which said back-rest is angularly displaced relative to said seat, the mounting means including a four bar linkage having three movable links and one stationary link, one of said movable links having two link parts connected for pivotal movement relative to each other and having pivotal connections to said seat and support, means including a stop against which one of said link parts rests for constraining said one link part during said first movement phase whereby the effective length of said one movable link is established by the other of said link parts, and cooperating means on said link parts effective in said intermediate tilted position for coupling said link parts together during said second movement phase whereby the effective length of said one movable link is established by both of said link parts.

5. A reclining chair according to claim 4 including a leg-rest, means mounting said leg-rest beneath the forward end of said seat, and a coordinating linkage operatively connected to the mounting means for said leg-rest and to said one link part of said one movable link for elevating said leg-rest in response to movement of said body-supporting unit into said intermediate tilted sitting position.

6. A reclining chair comprising a support, a body-supporting unit including a back-rest and seat, means pivotally mounting said back-rest on said support for reclining movement, means pivotally mounting said seat on said back-rest at a point spaced above the pivot of said backrest on said support, and means` movably mounting bodysupporting unit on said support for a first movement phase from a sitting position to an intermediate tilted position during which there is substantially no relative angular displacement between said back-rest and seat7 and for a second movement phase from said tilted position to a reclining position during which said back-rest is angularly displaced relative to said seat, the mounting means including a four-bar linkage including said seat as a first movable link thereof, the portion of said backrest between the pivot of said back-rest on said support and the pivot of said seat on said back-rest as a second movable link thereof and a third movable link having two link parts interconnected for movement relative to each other and having respective pivotal connections to said seat and said support, means for constraining one of said link parts of said third movable link during said first movement phase whereby the effective length of said third movable link is established by the other of said link parts, and means operable upon movement of said bodysupporting unit into said intermediate tilted position for coupling said link parts together whereby during said second movement phase the effective length of said third movable guiding linkis established by both of said link parts.

7. A reclining chair comprising a support, a body-supporting unit including a back-rest and seat, means pivotally mounting said back-rest on said support for reclining movement, means pivotally mounting said seat on said back-rest at a point spaced above the pivot of said 'na-cl;- rest on said support, and means movably mounting bodysupporting unit on said support for a rst movement phase from a sitting position to an intermediate tilted position and for a second movement phase from said tilted position to a reclining position, the mounting means including a four-bar linkage including said seat as a first movable link thereof, the portion of said back-rest between the pivot of said back-rest on said support and the pivot of said scat on said back-rest as a second movable link thereof and a third movable link having two link parts connected for pivotal movement relative to each other and having respective pivotal connections to said seat and said support, means for constraining one of said link parts of said third movable link during said first movement phase whereby the other of said link parts serves as said third movable link, and means operable upon movement of said body-supporting unit into said intermediate tilted position for coupling said link parts together whereby during said second movement phase both of said link parts serve as said third movable guiding link,

8. A reclining chair comprising a support, a bodysupporting unit including a back-rest and seat, means pivotally mounting said back-rest on said support for reclining movement, 'means 'pivotally mounting said seat on said back-rest at a point spaced above the pivot of said back-rest on said support, and means movably mounting body-supporting unit on said support for a first movement phase from a sitting position to an intermediate tilted position and for a second movement phase from said tilted position to a reclining position, the mounting means including a four-bar linkage including said seat as a irst movable link thereof, the portion of said backrest between the pivot of said back-rest on said support and the pivot of said seat on said back-rest as a second movable link thereof and a third movable link having two link parts connected vfor pivotal movement relative to each other and having respective pivotal connections to said seat and said support, means for constraining one of said link parts of said third movable link during said rst movement phase whereby the effective length of said third movable link is established by the other of said link parts, said four-bar linkage with said other link part as said third movable link thereof being proportioned to maintain substantially the same angular relationship between said back-rest and seat during said first movement phase, and means operable upon movenent of said bodysupporting unit into said intermediate tilted position for coupling said link parts together during said second movement phase whereby the effective length of said third movable guiding link is established by both of said link parts, said four-bar linkage with both yof said link parts as said third movable link thereof being proportioned to increase the angular relationship between said backrest and seat during said second movement phase.

9. A reclining chair comprising a support, a bodysupporting unit including a back-rest and seat, means pivotally mounting said back-rest on said support for reclining movement, means pivotally mounting said seat on said back-rest at a point spaced above the pivot of said back-rest on said support, means movably mounting bodysupporting unit on said support fora first movement phase from a sitting position to anintermediate tilted position and for -a second movement phasefrom v`said tilted position'to areclining position, the mounting meansl including a four-bar linkage including said seat as a first movable llink thereof, the portion of said back-rest between the pivot of said back-rest on said support and the pivot of said seat on said back-rest as a second movable' link thereof and a third movable link having two link parts connected for pivotal movement relative to each other and having respective pivotal connections to said seat and said support, means for constraining one of said link parts of said third movable link during said first movement phase whereby the effective length of said third movable link is established by the other of said link parts, said four-bar linkage with said other link part as said third movable link thereof being proportioned to maintain substantially the same angular relationship between said back-rest and seat during said first movement phase, and means operable upon m vement of said body-supporting unit into said intermediate tilted position for coupling said link parts together during said second movement phase whereby the effective length of said third movable lguiding link is established by both of said link parts, said four-bar linkage with both of said link parts as said third movable link thereof being proportioned to increase the angular relationship between said back-rest and seat during said second movement phase, a leg-rest, and a leg-rest control mounting said leg-rest beneath said seat and connected to said one link part for elevating said leg-rest in response to said first movement phase.

l0, A reclining chair comprising a support, body-supporting means including a back-rest and seat adapted to be mounted on said support for reclining and inclining movement respectively, and means movably mounting body-supporting means on said support for a first movement phase from a sitting position to an intermediate tilted position during which there is substantially no relative angular displacement between said back-rest and seat and for a second movement phase from said tilted position to a reclining position during which said backrest is angularly displaced relative to said seat, the mounting means including a linkage operatively connected to said support and to said body-supporting means and having a number of movable links, one o-f said movable links having two link parts interconnected for movement relative to each other, means pivotally connecting one end o'r' said one movable link to said seat and the other end thereof to said support, means for maintaining one of said link parts stationary during said rst movement phase whereby the effective length of said one movable link is established by the other of said link parts, and means for coupling said link parts together during said second movement phase whereby the eective length of said one movable link is established by bo-th of said link parts.

ll. A reclining chair according to claim l0 including a leg-rest, means mounting said leg-rest beneath the forward end of said seat, and a coordinating linkage operatively connected to the mounting means for said leg-rest and to said one link part of said one movable link for elevating said leg-rest in response to movement of said body-supporting means into said intermediate tilted position.

12. In a reclining chair including a support, body-supporting means comprising a seat and a back-rest, and means mounting said back-rest on the support for rearward pivotal movement from an upright sitting position to an intermediate tilted position and to a fully reclined position and mounting said seat on said back-rest for rearward movement in response to rearward pivotal movement of the back-rest, seat control means for tilting said seat as the latter is moved rearwardly, said seat control means comprising a first guide link pivotally mounted at its rear end on said support and normally resting in a forwardly-directed attitude, a second guide link pivotally mounted on said first guide link and pivotally connected to said seat,'said second guide link being forwardly and upwardly inclined for rearward and upward pivotalv movement when said seat is moved rearwardly with said back-rest whereby said second guide link raises the forward portion of said seat when the latter is moved from its upright position to its intermediate tilted position, stop means engaging said second guide link in the intermediate tilted position to block further rearward pivoting movement of said second guide link relative to said rst guide link, said lirst guide link pivoting upwardly about its pivotal mount on said support to further raise the forward portion of said seat when said body-supporting means is moved to its fully-tilted position.

13. A reclining chair comprisingy a support, body-supporting means comprising a seat and a back-rest, pivot means mounting said back-rest on said support for rearward pivotal movement from an upright sitting position to an intermediate semi-reclined position and to a fully reclined position, means connecting said seat at its rear end to said back-rest for rearward movement in response to rearward pivotal movement of the back-rest, and seat control means for tilting said seat as the latter is moved rearwardly, said seat control means comprising a first guide link pivotally mounted at its rear end on said support and normally resting in a forwardly-directed attitude, a second guide link pivotally mounted on said first guide link and pivotally connected to said seat, said second guide link being forwardly and upwardly inclined for rearward and upward pivotal movement when said seat is moved rearwardly with said back-rest whereby said second guide link raises the forward portion of said seat when the latter is moved from its upright position to said intermediate semi-reclined position, stop means operative in said intermediate semi-reclined position to block further rearward pivoting movement of said second guide link relative to said first guide link, said rst guide link pivoting upwardly about its pivotal mount on said support to further raise the forward portion of said seat when said body-supporting means is moved to said fully-reclined position.

14. A reclining chair comprising a support, body-supporting means including a seat and a back-rest, means mounting said back-rest on the support for rearward pivotal movement from an upright sitting position to an intermediate tilted position and to a fully reclined position and mounting said seat for inclining movement in respense to rearward pivotal movement of said back-rest, and a seat control for tilting the seat as said back-rest is moved rearwardly, said seat control including rst guide means movably mounted on said support, second guide means movably mounted on said iirst guide means and operatively connected to said seat, said second guide means moving rearwardly and upwardly as said seat moves rearwardly with said back-rest whereby said second guide means raises the forward portion of said seat when the latter is moved from said upright position to said intermediate tilted position, means between said first and second guide means operative in said intermediate tilted position to block further rearward and upward movement of said second guide means relative to said first guide means, said first guide means moving relative to said support to further raise the forward portion of said seat as said body-supporting means moves from said intermediate tilted position into said fully reclined position.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,615,497 Luckhardt Oct. 28, 1952 2,660,225 Luckhardt Nov. 24, 1953 2,672,919 Luckhardt Mar. 23, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 158,394 Germany Feb. 22, 1905 

